Fisheries Panel Moves to Protect Undersea Canyons

A specimen of red tree coral, collected by remotely-operated-vehicle at approximately 900 meters deep during undersea research of Zhemchug Canyon in the Bering Sea, off the Greenpeace support vessel M/V Esperanza. Photo by Todd Warshaw courtesy Greenpeace.A mooring ball in the harbor at Unalaska is shown against a backdrop of shoreline slopes during the Greenpeace USA Bering Sea expedition. Photo by Todd Warshaw courtesy Greenpeace.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council yesterday directed its staff to do a scientific review of evidence that some areas of the Bering Sea are such rich fish habitat they should be protected. The Council was looking at close to thirty thousand letters and comments from tribes, environmental groups and even a supermarket chain, urging them to protect Pribilof and Zemchug Canyons.